A Finnish pilot has pleaded guilty to helping his wife and an associate carry almost $900,000 in dirty money out of a Melbourne hotel and into a taxi.

Lauri Metsaranta was to stand trial in the County Court on a single charge of dealing with property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, but on Thursday pleaded guilty and admitted his role in a money laundering scheme.

Metsaranta, wife Changhen Chen and another man, Chiu Wong, were arrested with $899,460 in two suitcases on February 1 last year when Federal Police intercepted the taxi they were in after it left the Mantra Southbank hotel.